The Wrong Cop?

Detective in murder case comes under investigation following acquittal of Rashad McCoy

Following Monday’s acquittal of Rashad McCoy on murder charges, Pasadena Police Chief Phillip Sanchez said he would be investigating statements Detective William Broghamer, a key witness against McCoy, made under oath about other cases.

During testimony in McCoy’s trial, Broghamer was forced to admit that he had once told a colleague to “just pin it on anybody” in an unrelated homicide. On another occasion, Broghamer told a suspect that he would “lie to fry his ass.”

Broghamer said he was joking when he told a colleague to pin it on anybody. Judge Daryl Mavis allowed the first statement into evidence, but not the second one.

“I can confirm an investigation,” Sanchez told the Pasadena Weekly about Broghamer, who remains on duty. “Whenever there are allegations of misconduct by a member of the Pasadena Police Department I will make sure there is a comprehensive and thorough investigation into those allegations.”

Sanchez added that the District Attorney’s Office told him that Broghamer was a competent witness during the trial. The trial hinged not so much on Broghamer’s testimony but on other witnesses, who could not identify McCoy as the killer of 23-year-old Joseph Jones.

“The witnesses could not identify a suspect,” Sanchez said. “The defense was able to make that case during the trial. We are confident we arrested the right person and the District Attorney’s Office saw enough evidence to file the case, but Mr. McCoy’s attorney successfully pushed witness identification issues.”

“I just want to thank God he bought me out of something I was falsely accused of,” McCoy told the Weekly shortly after the verdict was handed down. “I plan to stay away from Pasadena and these crooked cops.”

“They need to pull every case that man has investigated,” said McCoy’s mother, Keppie Moore. “How many black boys are in jail because he lied? Right now I am grateful, just grateful to God my son is free.”

Jones’ father, David, lashed out at the jurors as he left the courtroom. “I told them they were stupid,” David Jones said. “They were uneducated. If Rashad McCoy had to go back to their communities in Hastings Ranch and East Pasadena they would have convicted him.”